US Giving Ukraine $300 Million More in Military Gear

The U.S. Defense Department says it is providing an additional $300 million in military equipment to Ukrainian forces defending the country from Russian troops.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement Friday evening that the gear in the new package includes laser-guided rocket systems, unmanned aircraft, armored vehicles, night vision devices and ammunition. Also included are medical supplies, field equipment and spare parts.

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Kirby said the new package “represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide new capabilities” to Ukraine, rather than delivering equipment drawn from U.S. military stockpiles.

The U.S. has provided more than $1.6 billion in security assistance since Russia’s invasion, Kirby said.

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Russian nuclear forces have been on high alert during the war with Ukraine, though experts agree the threat of nuclear weapons actually being used remains low. If Russia were to use nuclear weapons at all, the most likely usage would be a smaller "tactical" bomb that would impact a battlefield or military installation. NBCLX storyteller Clark Fouraker speaks with Sarah Bidgood from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

This is a live update. Click here for complete coverage of the crisis in Ukraine.